I'm only 17... a blood test came back w/ "low thyroid count".

[cactus19]

So the first test was for many different things (4 vials of blood), then the doc called back and said I needed to do another one just for thyroid b/c the first one showed "low count".  I took the 2nd one 4 days ago, still awaiting results...

- I'm 17, almost 18
- 6' 1" 220 -- but i'm only a little overweight, dunno exactly how much... but I played football and have been lifting weights for the last 3 years, until a few months ago when i broke my wrist and got carpal tunnel.  So my weight isn't that bad for my size.
- I skateboard for exercise, also do lower body workouts at the gym, so im not unhealthy or anything.
- I had sleep issues that started 3 years ago, sleep studies showed general insomnia and mild obstructive sleep apnea, but the most recent sleep study didn't show much apnea... All of them have showed insomnia, and my sleep quality got lower on each one.  Some doctors think I have Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, but maybe its just the thyroid stuff, i dunno.
- Waking up after <10 hours of sleep is impossible, if someone tries to wake me up and I don't get up, I dont even remember it happening.  When I wake up though, its THE most drowsy and tired feeling imaginable..
- If I wake up naturally, no alarm clock or family waking me up, I sleep about 12-15 hours straight which I think is ridiculous.

Meds:
- 30mg Adderall XR + 10mg Adderall IR (during the day, for ADD, not ADHD)
- 1mg clonazepam (for anxiety and sometimes im just paranoid for no reason, but I dont take it everyday)
- 10-20mg Ambien (one when I try going to bed, another if I cant sleep)
- 10mg Lunesta (started it 2 weeks ago)

Obviously I have my share of problems, and I don't know how many have to do with this... But I'm very concerned about alot of stuff:  what exactly could cause low thyroid on the test, how did I get this, why somebody as young as me, who do I see about it, whats treatment like, does treatment fix everything, and are my "problems" caused by this...?

Thanks to anyone--

[cactus19]

Well I saw a N.M.D. who's VERY intelligent and helpful regarding my current meds and alternative ways to taking them (ie. chewing clonazepam at night for faster metabolization and therefore faster half life) - but he's also explained almost everything with 100% detail.  For example, he explained how Adderall XR could cause problems at night because some of the 'balls' are designed to release later than others, resulting in them releasing way too late - which I actually seem to notice some nights.


But he gave me a good daily multi-vitamin and B-complex, something called P5P, tryptophan for sleep, a non-disgusting fish oil, and some other tips for general health.  He also ordered up A LOT of blood tests and a urinalysis...

The flagged tests from the blood were:  pretty High hemoglobin, high hematocrit, and low glucose (70).  The thyroid stuff wasn't flagged, but since it was a concern; TSH is 1.268 uIU/mL (pretty low), T4 Free is 1.39 - pretty average, and T3 is 3.2 (below their threshold but wasnt flagged?).  


So the NMD (naturopathic MD) thinks that hypoglycemia is the problem, and thats all he said was "off" on the tests... He wants me to do a high protein/low carb diet for the next 3 months and then a follow up, and continue the daily vitamins/fish oil/b-complex, and also continue alot of exercise to get my weight down a little (about 20 lbs overweight).  

However he didn't explain why high protein but LOW glucose would raise my glucose level....?  One of my teachers and one of my physical therapists (broken wrist) have a bachelor's in Nutrition, so I asked them why high protein would help for hypoglycemia, and they were just like "huh?"  lol they really were confused.   Admitted, they aren't doctors, but they know all there is to know about nutrition and how the things you eat affect your body.  

Anyway, I've been doing the protein diet for a week or so, and I see no improvement at all... In fact, it's the opposite, things are getting worse despite the high protein/low carb diet w/ excessive exercise (and exercising in AZ summer's are BRUTAL).  Does it take a while for it to work or what?  He didn't explain much of that stuff, I think because he was running about 45 mins late that day but idk, maybe I can call him.


So can anyone clarify this protein thing for me?

And also, just wondering if any of the other test results look significant...

[cactus19]

yeah i think im going to see an endocrinologist and probably have all the thyroid panels tested first, then have the appt. w/ him and see what he/she thinks

[AR-10]

You need to see another doctor about this stuff. A GP or an Endo. Adrenal Fatigue may be part of the problem, and there may be other reasons for the sleep problems.

[cactus19]

actually nevermind about diabetes, i remember getting blood sugar taken a few months ago when i broke my wrist because they were curious why my blood pressure was high.  blood sugar was fine though.

[cactus19]

It was over the phone, I guess the doctor has the copies but I can ask for them next time I see her in a week or so.

I also think I'm gonna start seeing a different doctor for this, she only gives me meds, doesn't really do anything else.

[stella5349]

Post all your labs here . Get all the numbers and put them up. Just let a few others look this over.

There is hope and you know that. It just needs to be figured out.

[cactus19]

Well I suppose it doesn't matter, the doctor said the results came back normal...

Which shattered any hopes I had.  Because now I'm back to square one, with no doctors with any ideas, and little hope for fixing this.  



I assume if one test came back abnormal and the other came back normal, then one would have to have been false... so why would my doctor assume the test that actually made sense is the one that's false, instead of just ordering another thyroid panel?  She's a psychiatrist so I don't even know if I can trust her opinion on the subject, but then again I don't know what type of doctor would know better.  Aside from an endocrinologist, but I don't think he'd let me set up an appointment based on assumptions and no conclusive test results.


I don't know what to do anymore, and I was very optimistic this week while awaiting the results.. But today after finding out that "nothings wrong" when everything is wrong, I'm back into a state of complete anxiety, hopelessness, and doubt.  



All week I've been so anxious for this to come back with some sort of answer, I haven't even been able to eat more than 1 small snack each day.  Even if I feel hungry, I try looking in the fridge/pantry but nothing seems appetizing, and trying to eat just makes my stomach hurt.

Is it at all possible that it's diabetes?  I do drink excessive amounts of liquids, but I don't know if diabetes can cause fatigue or not... I'm a little overweight but not that bad, so I never figured it could be, but do you guys think so?

[AR-10]

I need to do a little reading before I add anything to Stella's thoughts.
Give me 24 hours to do some research and then I'd like to respond.

[stella5349]

bump

[cactus19]

First off I should clarify about the "nothing makes sense", I didn't mean literally going crazy but I do feel incredibly overwhelmed when I think about this subject simply because there are so many aspects are variables... Alot of things are inconsistent as well, hence feeling like nothing makes sense.  An example would be how I'm often very fatigued, but right now and at other times, I feel like I just smoked crack b/c my heart is pounding as hard as possible.  I'm sitting on the computer, not doing much, yet my pulse is 90+ and I'm having palpitations (I think that's the right word, basically I can FEEL my heartbeat) and I get this when I'm trying to sleep alot of times also.  I also have had elevated blood pressure the last few times its been measured, but I don't know why.  

My mind is always buzzing but that's probably just a part of who I am... I can even remember in 1st grade, my teacher told me "You ask more questions than any student I've ever had, but keep it up, and keep doing it through your whole life.  Curiosity is a gift not a curse"... I always think about something, and I'm always hungry for knowledge... I love details, and I love learning about things that I don't know about.  My friends wouldn't guess it, but I actually like school for the most part.  The only thing I didn't like at public school was the repetition, like how math classes would be just 1 chapter per day, and the teacher would have to explain things several times for most students to understand... This just made me bored because I'd learn things the first time I see them, and "exercises" are unnecessary for me.

At my new school though, it's self-paced so I can move much faster.  For most classes I don't even need the teacher's help, right now I'm teaching myself AP Algebra II and I have an A+.  It's actually a system that works very well for me, I can choose to either do all the bookwork, then the chapter review, then the test.  The other option is to just do the chapter review, then the test - which is what I do for all classes that allow it (mainly just math/science classes).


I have friends to talk to about this, but the average 17/18 year old has no experience with this, although they do give me some support.  My parents pay for me to see a counselor who specializes in family counseling but I don't really like those appointments.  The counselor is nice, and can relate b/c he's only in his 30's so he knows about youth culture... But he's no doctor, and he tries to motivate me by basically saying that nothing is wrong.  So most of our appointments are just conversations about whats happening in my life, and he helps me see other sides of things, but he mostly just tries to get me to be more open with my parents.

On that note- my dad works full time, and is often on business trips out of the country (for the defense systems company Raytheon - he goes to other countries to organize consortiums w/ other countries to develop new missiles/weapon systems).  So he's always busy.  My mom is a school teacher at a private school, and she usually works pretty late.  My parents are nice and provide for me, but I just can't seem to be open with them.  They're very traditional, and I know my mom is disgusted by the world today... Being traditional, they seem shocked that their son is nearly a drop-out.  I'm close with my sister, but she's moved out already and is pregnant, just starting her own life, so I don't get to see her much anymore.  My brother still lives at home but he was an opiate addict a couple years ago, and is now on methadone, but he's pretty messed up from the huge amounts of drugs he used to do.  He also developed bipolar disorder recently, among a host of other psychological problems, and he's very over-medicated.  I can't even stand some of the random things he does, its not his fault, but he annoys me to endless extents.  When I do talk to him, he's very hypocritical and makes very little sense, so I see no point in talking to him anymore.


I enjoy tons of things, I used to skateboard everyday until I broke my wrist... But I like going out with friends and partying when I can.  Lifting weights is also something I liked for a while, but the fatigue made it hard to get a good workout in, and after breaking my wrist, it's painful and dangerous to do anything besides lower body workouts.  I can stay entertained at home though, movies and video games can keep me busy for a while.  I'd say video games are most of what I do at home, but I mainly play puzzle games and things that involve heavy thought... as opposed to shooting/fighting games that I do play occasionally w/ friends.  But puzzles are definitely my favorite.

The post I made last night was probably more emotional/depressing than it should have been.  I was on both of my sleeping pills though, and they do make you feel a bit loopy so I probably exaggerated some.



The 2nd test they did on Friday was either "TSH" or "TSH w/ reflex to free T4" - I'm just looking at an old form, I remember it was one of those two though.  

A common symptom of hypothyroidism is sensitivity to cold right?  I only mention that b/c I live in Arizona and I'm still wearing a jacket everyday in spring, from what I see, I'm the only one that thinks it's cold out... During winter I'd wear a long sleeve shirt under a heavy jacket, a warm beanie, and gloves, but still be cold.  And AZ winters aren't that bad.  It seems weird though b/c at night when I try to sleep, it seems like the exact opposite, I always use little or no covers and turn on the a/c... One specific thing I've done for a while, year round, is have my feet out from under the covers.  I can never sleep if my feet are under the covers, it just feels incredibly uncomfortable.  Like at hotels, I always pull on the sheets until they're not tucked under the mattress, so I can stick my feet out.  It sounds weird, but I thought I'd mention it b/c it is pretty strange how sensitive I am to things like that.

[stella5349]

Not rude at all - please do think you are rude. You're not.

I only looked at the post regarding all these meds you are on and logically reseached the side effects of these meds.

I am a school secretary and have had in school and medical training on many medications. At my school - we have many children (exactly in similar  situations you are in) and it is frustrating for them too.

I am glad you have went into further explaination on the mulitple doctors you are seeing - that does help.

It does sound you are under alot of stress. It is hard for an adult to not have family support when they don't feel right - let alone being a young person with such a bright future ahead of themselves.

You said a statement that concerns me " Nearly to the point of psychosis because nothing makes sense anymore" It sounds like your taking this all on your own - and that shouldn't be. You need to have a support group to help you.

I don't think your lazy or unmotivated or wasting your abilities. I think you are trying to get to the root of the problem and you are not finding it.

First off - you can not do this alone. You need to find someone to listen. Are you sure you don't have anyfamily member that will listen to you?  What diagnosis have any of these doctors given you to support medication? ( besides ADD)

It sounds your mind is moving a mile a minute and you can no longer concentrate on the moment any longer. WE have to find out why that is happening.

I can't imagine being  your age at this time in our world. It is so much more stressful than what is was years ago. That alone makes many problem for kids your age.  But you have more resources available to you to help get that off your back.

You sounds extremely smart and able to move past this. What is it YOU DO enjoy doing? What give you happiness?

Now - going to thyroid -  Do you know the test they did?  Lets look at that to see if the thyroid could be an issue or not. OK?

[cactus19]

I've been working with the same psychiatrist for over a year...

I've seen a neurologist, sleep-medicine specialist, general practitioner, probably 4-5 psychiatrists, and tons of others.... Also 3 sleep-studies.


We've been making changes with meds for 3 years..... this all started BEFORE I was on anything.  I've been on atleast 15 different meds, combinations of some, all kinds of things.



If I didn't have adderall, I'd never be able to do anything or go anywhere without getting atleast 15 hours of sleep.  So I don't think the highest single dose (30mg) of adderall, which is an amphetamine, would make me tired.....

It would take me hours to give all the information, but I'll just say this....

When my psychiatrist called back with the first results, she said that "this is probably it", meaning "this" is what has ruined a very long part of my life and destroyed my academic career (I'm incredibly intelligent, I can explain in several ways, but take my word for it)



I...... really just don't know what to do..  this may sound rude, and I apologize if it does, but:


What you said, basically saying that some random thing is the cause, and something that a blood test actually proved (well at least it showed it) is NOT the problem.... is what everyone has said to me over the last 3 years.

Parents call me unmotivated, friends call me lazy, teachers say I'm wasting my limitless potential, some doctors say it's "just sleep hygiene" even though I've tried having perfect sleep hygiene in any way I can... But the main requirement of good sleep hygiene is staying on a consistent sleep cycle: waking up at the same time every day, going to bed at the same time every night.  And that doesn't exactly work when I lay in bed trying to sleep for 4+ hours.  Or when I sleep for 12 hours, wake up, and can't even think of what I need to do today.  Instead, I can only follow instincts of going back to sleep, without one thought in my mind because I'm so tired.


And some people, including my parents, like to think that "I'm not trying hard enough"... Which is the single most infuriating and depressing thing somebody can say to me.  I want nothing more than to be able to wake up in the morning and go to public school with my friends.  And what I want even more than that is to graduate and go to college, and get either a master's or doctorate after that... But I have a burden on my shoulders that I can't do anything about, and in alot of my spare time all I can think about is how much I wish this never happened.  Nearly to the point of psychosis because nothing makes sense anymore; such as why this is happening to me, and why a team of doctors can't figure it out over 3 years, or why this doesn't happen to anybody else my age, and especially, why people think I'm faking or just not trying.

Do you think that I, as I just described, have anything to feel happy about?  Ever?  

[stella5349]

The combination of meds you are taking could be the reason for you sleep patterns. I do ot want to over rule your doctors Rx's (are you seeing only one doctor that prescribed all these meds) or are there multiple doctors (that may not know you are taking these Rx's)

Everything you ahve listed will give you a side effect of sleepyness. This may be why you are so knocked out all the time. Adderall can have a reverse effect in some individuals so what should make you clear and alert - could make you feel tired.

I think you need re-evalution on your meds and you need to go (maybe with a guardian) back to the doctor and explain you condition. Review all the meds you are on with the physician and let them make possible changes in your medication.

If by chance- you do have hypothyroidism - this also could give you some fatigue.